Léa, soon to be baptized, tries to be better every day

“I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” These are the words that thousands of catechumens around the world are preparing to hear on Easter night when they are baptized. Throughout Lent, Aleteia is sharing with you the stories of some of these men and women, who are happy to become children of God. Read all of the testimonies here.

Léa, 24, is a psychiatric nurse and mother to a little boy, Adem, who will soon celebrate his first birthday. Léa built her life with her partner, Yannéric, in Châlons (France), her home town. And she wouldn't change it for the world, even if “the days are very full!”, she assures us with a laugh.

Her preparation for baptism has found its place quite naturally in her busy schedule. Like thousands of other catechumens, Léa will be baptized during the Easter Vigil. As the event approaches, the young woman finds it difficult to hide her emotion.

“I thought that everything would begin on the day of my baptism, but in reality, everything has already begun. It will be a confirmation of my faith and of my desire to follow the path of God.”

It’s a path that, deep down inside her, she has always wanted to take. However, it’s been a little laborious to start. Léa was placed in the care of Child Welfare Services. “I had a rather unusual childhood, and I wasn’t able to be baptized or grow up in a religion, even though the desire was always there,” she explains. “I let myself be carried along, without having the trigger to take the leap.”

She grew up in a non-practicing Catholic foster family, while her biological family was Muslim. “In secondary school, I wanted to take action but it didn't materialize. I was made to understand that it was a delicate topic and I didn't pursue it.”

At the age of 17, she met Yannéric and discovered his family, which was very committed to their faith. “I attended baptisms, Masses... At their home, I saw moments of family prayer. It inspired me. It was seeing them pray and go to Mass that triggered my decision: I felt that I belonged with them.”

But she hesitated for a long time before taking the step. “I didn't feel I had a right to. I hadn't received any religious instruction, and I didn't know where to start.”

Finally, two years ago, when she was pregnant, she asked to be baptized. “I contacted Fr. Antonin at the parish of Notre-Dame-en-Vaux. He asked me a few questions, then included me in a group of catechumens.”

“It all happened very quickly! We evolve at our own pace, but I can already see how much this path has transformed me.” This summer, her son will be baptized in turn. ”I wanted to be baptized before him, so that I could support him in his religious education. It's a strong symbolic gesture.”

For Léa, being a Christian means living her faith day by day: “We’re human, we sin, but our faith calls us to more. It encourages us to charity and love. I rely on it every day to try to be better than the day before.”

Her job as a nurse also resonates with her faith. “Being at the service of others pushes me to be even more empathetic. I pray for my patients, especially those suffering from addictions, to give them the strength to overcome their trials. In this job, you need to have strong convictions and values, and faith supports me even more in this mission.”

After her baptism, Léa would like to join the mothers' prayer group. “It's a meeting of moms. We get together to pray to the Virgin Mary for our families,” she explains. “I'd like to be able to make time for it next year.”

One thing is certain: she fully intends to get involved in her parish. “I was made to feel very welcome when I arrived. I always meet people who are happy to see us progress in our faith and who encourage us. Now it's my turn to welcome and encourage,” continues Léa. “Faith isn’t reserved for a select few, it’s for everyone!”